The letter sent by a senior figure in the Pakistan Taliban to Malala Yousafzai setting out the case against her is an extraordinary document by any standards.It is an attempt to defend the indefensible – the attempted assassination of a 15-year-old schoolgirl.

In it, Adnan Rasheed deploys all the arguments he can think of, referencing Henry Kissinger (a Jew, he helpfully points out) and quoting Bertrand Russell on the way modern science might be manipulated – via diet and injections – to control populations. His letter complains that she is pushing UN propaganda, of promoting an education system that has no place for Islam and it wonders why whether there would have been such an outcry if she had been injured in a US drone strike.

He knows his audience.

In the days since Malala gave her courageous speech at the United Nations, many Pakistanis have been wondering the same thing. Why aren't victims of American aggression afforded the same platform as Malala? Twitter and Facebook have filled with messages, wanting to know why Malala is campaigning for education but has not mentioned killer drones. Was the whole thing a stunt to discredit the Pakistan Taliban?

There is a huge section of mainstream, educated Pakistan that should know better but has turned against Malala. In this sense, the letter is a clever attempt by the Pakistan Taliban to reconnect with supporters.

But it also smacks of desperation. Last week it felt as if the whole world stopped to watch Malala address the United Nations. It was a moment of optimism and a reminder that sometimes courage really is enough to see off extremism.

How difficult it must have been for the terrorists in their boltholes along the border with Afghanistan to be overshadowed by someone they thought they had left for dead. And by a girl at that.

Every time she stands up before an audience it will be a reminder of their failure.